Swing Life Away
by Sheppard Studios
Summary: [S] With a bit of downtime in between missions, James decides to take his only son out for a fun day away from home. Short, fluffy one-shot.


**A/N: Nope, no Veria yet. Sorry to those who follow that religiously, but progress has been slow and frustrating, so to take my mind off the tension I did this. This is my way of "refreshing my palette" so to speak. Something completely different. Maybe when I go back to Veria it won't be a pain to write.**

 **Also, this is my unofficial declaration of "fluff war" between Xengo and Whitefur. You two have been taking over the archive with your shared fluff. It's my turn now. At least... for a little while. I may have started the wrong war with the wrong people... Oh god what have I done...**

 **Regardless, hope you guys enjoy the lightheartedness of this story. I had fun writing this, and I hope you have fun reading it. As always, reviews are always appreciated. Take care fellas, and I'll see you next time.**

* * *

 _We live on front porches and swing life away  
We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave 'till the end  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand  
_

 _Rise Against  
"Swing Life Away"_

 _(https)(:)(www).(youtube).com(/)(watch?v=DDuY4m6FqaQ)_

* * *

As soon as the car door swung open, the fresh spring breeze greeted little ten-year-old Fox McCloud like a long lost friend, immediately increasing his already ecstatic demeanor. With a short little hop down from his father's car, landing on the curb he parked next to, he couldn't wait for the older fox to get out himself and immediately rushed up to his door.

"Dad! Dad, let's go!" Fox pestered, unable to control his excitement or wildly flicking tail. James responded with a mirthful grunt as he peeled himself out of the driver's seat.

"Calm down Fox, we just got here," he smiled, roughly running his paw over fox's shaggy white mohawk. "Go look around buddy. We've got plenty of time."

Fox needed no second invitation as he was already running towards the wide open field on the right side of the street James pulled his car to a stop on. Shifting the sunglasses on his muzzle, the older vulpine just laughed and trotted around to the trunk of his car, picking out a black backpack with the unmistakable winged fox emblem stitched onto the back in a vibrant scarlet color.

Swinging the bag over his shoulder, James took his time in climbing up the slight elevation change off to the side of the sidewalk, but once he got to the top of the slight hill the view took over. Even now, it still amazed him that this kind of a view was only a few short miles away, and still looking this great as well.

For miles stretched a sprawling plain of vibrant floral green grass, almost glistening in the clear blue sky. The sun defined every single soft, short blade of grass as the gentle breeze blowing in from the northwest gave the illusion that the grass was a sea with how the waves of blowing wind shook the ground in a harmonic fashion. Overshadowing the massive expanse of hilly plains were rows upon rows of trees whose leaves had finally returned brighter and greener than ever after a particularly brutal winter. The ocean of green put a smile on his face every time he saw it.

Other than a cute, young coyote couple sharing a mid-afternoon snack underneath the shade of a beautiful oak tree, a five-strong family of arctic foxes who still had yet to lose their fluffy winter coat, and a few teenagers of various species playing a game of baseball off to the far left of the clearing, the field was empty and serene. And just as James expected, there was Fox running at top speed towards an open area of the field before throwing himself into the grass in a particularly humorous and less than graceful dive. Chuckling aloud, James slowly went after him while the little kit enjoyed rolling around in the grass.

Setting the bag down in the grass where Fox was mindlessly rolling around and giggling mirthfully, James crouched down and patted Fox's leg with the back of his paw. "Hey, fluff-head. Quit rollin' around, you're gonna turn yourself green."

Once fox stopped, he realized that his father was just only a few seconds too late. Sections of his auburn furred arms and face were already transitioning colors to that vibrant green, although his natural fur color made it much more dull and lifeless. Giggling sheepishly, Fox brought his arm up to his face and tried to lick the pigment away.

"Do you even have a brain between those huge ears?" James taunted, swatting at his floppy appendages playfully. Fox whined in response, trying his best to sound hurt, then sat up and crossed his legs.

"I see you've already made a mess of your pants too," James shook his head, pointing at the stains on Fox's jeans. "Can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"Sorry dad," Fox giggled back, popping up to his knees to give James a quick kiss on his cheek. "It's just so soft here."

James nodded and felt the grass with his own paw, letting the fibrous hairs tickle his palm. "Yeah, I guess you're right there," he admitted before rubbing that same paw over Fox's head. "So, we're here. What do you want to do?"

Fox spring up to his feet and practically assaulted the backpack lying on the ground to get inside. "Did you bring it?"

"You wouldn't let me leave the house without it Fox," James chuckled, shaking his head again. Fox grunted in approval, before letting out a quiet howl of success when he pulled out a plush, egg shaped ball about the size of his head. Giving it a squeeze to see if it was the soft one or not, he looked at his father with a twinkle in his eyes and anticipation written on his muzzle.

James motioned his two foremost digits towards himself, to which Fox tossed the ball to him gently. After catching it with his other paw, he smiled at the kit and winked. "Go long."

Fox laughed out loud mirthfully as he did what his father instructed, running farther and farther away from their spot. Fox stopped when he thought he was far enough away, and when James roughly judged his distance away he pulled back and threw the ball, luckily without all of his strength or else it would go soaring over the vulpine's head. Fox took a few short steps backwards and to the right, putting himself right in the trajectory to catch his father's throw. Seemingly without effort, he snatched the ball out of the air and celebrated briefly.

"Nice," James shouted towards him. "Throw it back bud!"

Fox nodded and pulled his arm back. With a little running start and a short hop in the air, he launched it back, although the ball didn't have that same perfect spiral James' first throw had. However, it just barely got to the older vulpine, who had to take a few steps forward and couch down to catch it before it hit the ground. James smirked before returning the throw back; Fox catching it perfectly just like last time.

"Put some muscle into this next one Fox!" James suggested. Fox took that suggestion to heart just a bit too much, as when Fox went to throw it back he let go of it too soon and made it soar high and off to the right. However, James wouldn't be deterred from catching a foul throw. He took off running, looking up out of his sunglasses to see where the ball was going, and when he was within range he reached about and just barely caught it. Panting slightly, he took a short little walk around to slow himself down, then once he found himself back in his original position he smiled.

"How about _at_ me next time?" James taunted, tossing it back towards Fox. Fox would have caught it if he was paying attention, but it just barely slipped through his fingers and sunk into the short grass.

"Sorry dad," Fox said softly, folding his ears back as he grabbed the ball of the ground. "It slipped."

Once James had the ball in his possession, he smirked smugly and threw it full force up into the air, harmlessly sailing over Fox's head and way off behind him.

"Dahahad!" Fox laughed, chasing after the ball when it finally hit the ground.

"It _slipped_!" James said sarcastically, laughing back at the kit.

"It did not!" he shouted back.

"Did too!" James argued with a massive smile plastered onto his muzzle.

"Nooo!" Fox whined, grabbing the ball up in his paws.

"Aww, quit complainin'," the older fox sneered at him lightheartedly, clapping his paws together and lowered to a slight crouch. "Right here bud!"

"You're too far away!" Fox complained yet again, trying to size up his father with his eventual throw.

"Nah, just throw it as hard as you can Fox," James assured.

Fox shrugged momentarily before jumping as high as his specie would let him as he let the ball fly in his father's direction. Aside from having to run over to the right to get into its trajectory, James caught the egg shaped plush ball effortlessly. Smiling, he held it up to let Fox know he had possession.

"Nice throw Fox," he smiled. "Get ready: this one's going flying!"

Fox backed up a few feet before the older tod let the ball loose, sailing in the air with a perfect spiral right in Fox's direction. Although he had to leap a good three or four feet in the air to catch it, Fox still made the catch.

"Wow you can jump," James remarked under his breath with a smile. "I could never do that."

James reminiscing was abruptly terminated when Fox shouted, getting his attention the ball was heading his way. Instead of catching the ball, James got a running start before it hit the ground and gave it a heavy kick with his right boot, echoing a resounding, muffled thump as the ball soared back up into the air higher than ever. Fox exploded into laughter, but still kept his eyes up to try to catch it. Fox ran after it and dove outward to catch it, but just came up short as he flopped into the grass.

James himself busted up laughing. "Aww, nice try Foxie," he smiled widely. "I won't do that again, I pr— oh, shoot."

James saw the ball soaring overhead, coming to the realization he was too close. He had to run backwards to keep his eye on the ball and to also get into position, but it seemed as though the ball was flying too fast for him to catch up with. It hit the grass with a thud, but the older fox still caught it after it bounced off the ground.

After James regained his stance, he threw it back with that signature perfect spiral, restarting the routine of a back and forth game of catch. It went on for what felt like hours, just James and his kit having fun throwing a ball back and forth. Judging by the sun and how it began to sink downwards into the metaphorical horizon of tall trees after they had gotten there just after high noon, they _had_ been throwing that ball back and forth for hours.

Eventually, Fox's stomach started to growl after tossing the ball back at his father one last time. James was about to throw it back, but stopped himself when Fox started returning to him. "You done bud?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry," Fox said, poking at his stomach for good measure. James smiled back at him and tossed the ball in the air just a few short feet before catching it again.

"Lunch?" James suggested.

"Please?" Fox pleaded, looking up at his much taller father expectantly. James chuckled as he tossed the ball back by the bag, rolling to a stop just before the shoulder strap, then gave his kit a pat on the back as he gestured to the bag.

"Alright, go dig in big guy. You deserve a good meal."

Fox's face lit up as he approached the bag and unzipped it to reveal its contents. Inside were two brown paper bags, each one with a name written on one of the sides in his mother's unmistakable flowing handwriting. He located the bag labeled " _Fox_ " and pulled it out, immediately crossing his legs as he sat in the grass. James came up right behind him, gave him another round of messing with his mohawk, then stuck his own paw into the backpack to look for his own food.

"Yes…" Fox whispered in success, unwrapping his sandwich before taking a huge bite right on the corner. James chuckled and pulled out his own bag labeled "Dad" and sat just like Fox on the other side of the backpack.

"Mom make you something good?" James asked with a smirk, digging through his own bag.

"Yeah," Fox said happily. "She made my favorite again. Little bit of everything just how I like it."

James grinned and unwrapped his sandwich, winking at Fox when he realized his was exactly the same. Just the usual that Vixy would always make short notice: a few slices of meat from the non-sentient farm turkeys, some lettuce, a thin slice of tomato and cheese, and a bit of mayo for taste wedged in between their homemade bread Vixy loved making herself. He had to admit he loved the taste of it as well, but he had his own signature way of making it better. Luckily, Vixy knew that as well and packed him just what he needed.

James took the top layer of bread off, revealing the splatter of mayo, and gently balanced it in his lap. Fox cocked his head after another bite and looked at the older fox curiously.

"What're you doing dad?" he asked with a mouthful of food.

"Chew Fox," James snickered, pulling out a very small plastic bottle from his sack. "Your mom gave me a little extra to put on."

"What is it?" Fox asked again when his face was devoid of food.

"Dad's barbeque sauce," the older vulpine said with a devilish looking smile, popping open the cap. Fox nearly hacked and growled in the back of his throat.

"How can you eat that stuff? It's way too hot!" Fox complained. James ignored him and dropped a generous amount right onto the bread.

"You get used to it when you're older like me," James replied, smearing the bread against the rest of the sandwich to spread it out.

"Do old people like spicy foods?" Fox asked innocently, causing James to snort mirthfully before bringing his food up to his muzzle.

"No, I said people _like_ me," his father corrected.

"So… old people…?"

James sighed with a smirk and shook his head after biting down. "You don't know old people yet Fox. I'm not one of them. How old do you think I am?"

Fox hummed to give the allusion of deep thought. "Forty? I dunno."

"Close," James grinned. "Thirty six."

Fox stared at him wide-eyed. "Wow."

"Anyway, when you get older Fox, you'll start to realize that these foods you didn't like when you were this age are actually really good," James reasoned, taking a bite of his customized sandwich. "Like this for example. You might like this in a few years."

Fox shrugged his shoulders, taking another bite. The two vulpines shared a bit of silence other than the continuous munching on their late lunches. When Fox was about halfway through his food, he suddenly looked up and narrowed his eyes at his father.

"Hey, uh, dad? Can I ask you something?"

James swallowed what was in his muzzle and nodded. "What's up?"

Fox obviously looked a bit flustered and hesitant, struggling to keep eye contact. "Well, uh, I wanted to tell you this for a while, but… I think I know what I want to do when I get older."

James curiously cocked his head and ears. "Really? Well? What is it?"

His father's questioning only made him more anxious. He flicked his tail to the other side of his body before responding in a hushed whisper. "I think I want to be a pilot like you, dad."

James about choked in shock.

"Oh, is that so?" he asked right back, completely ecstatic.

"Yeah, I don't know though," Fox replied, folding his ears back. "I mean, it looks way too hard, but… at the same time it looks so fun."

James nodded like it was his job. "You are correct, Fox, but that doesn't mean you should give up on that dream at all. It may be hard, but boy are the rewards worth it."

"How'd you know you wanted to be a pilot?" Fox asked, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"I wanted to fly ever since I saw a fighter for the first time, and I was probably younger than you at the time," he answered. "I knew that was what I wanted to do, and when I got old enough I enlisted. It was hard work, but I wanted to fly. Nothing was going to stop me from doing that."

Fox just stared in awe. Winking, James smirked with half of his muzzle and lowered his voice.

"And I can see you doing the same Fox," he cooed. "I know you've got that determination in that little heart of yours." he poked at Fox's chest, meriting a little giggle from the pre-teen vulpine. "If I thought _I_ had enough talent to get my piloting license, you have that and much, much more."

Fox smiled. "Really?"

"Of course," his father smiled back.

Fox finished the rest of his sandwich, unable to wipe the goofy looking grin off of his muzzle. James, however, was taking his sweet time in savoring every single bite of his lunch. Eventually, Fox's boredom got to him, and did what any other ten-year-old kit would do in his situation.

"Hey dad?" he spoke up questioningly. "Are you going on another mission soon?"

James hesitantly nodded, not knowing what his kit would say. "Pretty soon, yeah."

"Aww," Fox groaned. "But you just got home dad."

"I know Fox, but—"

"And you promised you would stay home for a while," Fox continued, flattening his ears.

"I'm sorry buddy, I have no say," James replied, himself lowering his ears. "I wish I could stay, but I just can't. The General needs me."

"Why does he need you so much?" the vulpine started to whine.

"Because he trusts us," James answered. "He wouldn't put anyone else in the missions he puts our team in. He's confident that we can get the job done, and do it right no less. Granted, the pay could be a little better, but we get by just fine with what we get."

"Okay…" Fox whimpered weakly. "Can I come with you some time?"

"Absolutely not," his father said sternly. "Way too dangerous."

"But I just wanna—"

"I don't want to have to argue with you Fox," James breathed. "I'm not taking you with."

Fox sniffed, curling his arms into a pout. "When I'm _older_ can I?"

"Depends," James grunted. "Will you be that great pilot I think you can be?"

The smaller vulpine finally let a grin surface. "Yeah!"

"Then I'll think about it," he chuckled.

Fox shifted his legs underneath him. "I just want to see the things you do. You just look like you have so much fun flying all over the world and all that."

"Like I said Fox, you can as long as you keep thinking that you can," James grinned. "Remember, a pilot is only as good as he thinks he is."

"But I just want to be with you more, ya know?" Fox interrupted. "You're away too much. Mom and I miss you."

"I know buddy," he sighed. "I'll try to get some more off-time after this mission, okay?"

"Can you please?" Fox pleaded, widening his eyes at his father.

"I'll try," was all James said in reply. "I don't know what the General can do for me."

"Maybe," Fox started to giggle. "Maybe someone can make a machine, where… where you can be with someone, and talk to them, and feel like they're actually _there_ , but they really aren't."

James himself chuckled. "Alright, get on that professor."

"I can't do that," Fox whined. "I just want someone to make it for us so that I can still be with you without being in danger."

"Like, be inside their head, so to speak?"

"Yeah, like that!" Fox yipped breathily. "Can someone do that?"

"Heh, I dunno bud," James shook his head. "That's called telepathy, when someone can get inside someone else's head, talk to them, and basically feel everything they feel."

"Wow!" Fox exclaimed. "Do I have that?"

"No, silly," James couldn't help but smirk.

"Can… can I get it?"

"As far as I know, no," he admitted. "But maybe if you just keep thinking about it you might be able to develop it."

"Sounds like it would hurt," Fox muttered.

"Maybe, but if it's what you want, you don't have much of a choice," James explained. "Maybe when you get married and have your own kits, since you believed so much, your kits will have that."

"That… _telepathy_?" Fox said questioningly.

"Yup."

"That's so cool!" Fox exclaimed again. "Where do they come from?"

James flushed. "W-what?"

"The little kits like me when I was little," Fox tried to explain, the innocence ever so present in his tone. "How do some people get them?"

James tugged at his scarf. "Er…"

"I want to know dad," Fox insisted. "Please?"

James couldn't control the burning pigment in his face. "Uh… go, uh… go ask your mother when we get home. She knows."

"But do you?"

James awkwardly cleared his throat. "I, uh… I can't remember."

"Oh," Fox hummed. "Okay. I'll ask mom."

"I'm so sorry Vix," James muttered under his breath, inaudible to the young vulpine.

After James finally finished his sandwich, the two just sat in the grass and talked for hours. Everything from schoolwork to stories from work or even a few jokes thrown in here and there. James basked in the lightheartedness and lack of seriousness the moment held for as longs he could, up until he saw the sun start to set under the horizon. The sky gradually started darkening whilst periodically changing color from its once sapphire blue to a multicolored wave of various warm and comforting colors.

It was at this time when James realized it was incredibly late, and Vixy would probably be worrying about them. He picked himself off the grass and nudged Fox with his boot.

"Hey, we should probably get home soon Fox."

"Ah, alright," Fox groaned weakly, following his father who had just picked up the backpack they brought along with them. Within moments, the duo made their way up the incline towards James' car. After James tossed the bag into the back seat, he slipped behind the wheel just as Fox wrapped the seatbelt over his chest.

James looked over and winked at Fox, then started the car. "You have fun today Fox?"

"Yeah, today was so fun," Fox smiled widely, showcasing his vulpine teeth. "Can we do this again?"

"Of course little buddy," James grinned back.

"Like, soon?" Fox added.

James nodded. "Sure bud. We can do this again."

He reached over and patted Fox's shoulder, giving him a very proud and reassuring smile.

"I promise."


End file.
